Exhibition preparation

A week ago, I was on my way to Lithuania to begin install my solo exhibition. I was tired, but didn’t feel tired and just kept editing all my works every freaking moment. Even on a flight, I was just editing and polishing all the details. I always think that it’s funny when I am interested in raw image and its flaws, but still find a way to perfect it. Of course, later it is only video editing – nothing much can be changed, only improved. At least, that’s what I think.

A lot work needed to be done in advanced; I had to order an old friend of mine to create wooden boxes, ask my relatives to get me wooden boards and when paint in white. I am really thankful for everyone, who got involved, because I wouldn’t be able to do it all by myself.

I already sketched before how I imagined the exhibition and what installation I want to make. But since I only saw the space in pictures and haven’t been there before, a lot of things just started building up once I arrived and had tools to play with. I brought my boyfriend there too, so he could assist me. Two heads are better than one, and oh my – I was so tired and confused, and exhausted… I have no idea how a person can have so many different emotions at the same time.

Once we arrived at the gallery, we took some time to discuss with gallery director & curator Margarita and just waited for a bit until I got my boxes and boards delivered.

Our day began testing projections and playing with boxes and boards all around the space. We thought that boxes should be placed in a way that would help a viewer to navigate through both the story and exhibits. I briefly thought of leaving a large projection on a wall, but when I would be missing projectors and three boxes I had looked like a finished set, which couldn’t be separated. Instead having of a variety of different projections on different surfaces, I decided to have only the boxes and one board, which would lean against the wall.

When I was ordering boxes, I gave the measurements and said that I don’t need the base, but once I started playing with boxes, we realized that it is a different format and it would look better if the boxes were lying on their sides, creating this widescreen projection. They were missing the base, so the holes were exposed and needed to be filled or covered. Luckily, the way I spaced everything, I realized that I could place some projectors inside the boxes. Everything got easily solved, but needed to paint inside to make it more nicer and cleaner.

I knew that I will be getting 4 projectors, so I got ready 4 animations ready in advance. One was containing pastel animations I have done a year ago, I always thought they were successful and once I edited and put all of them in a nice order – the narrative was there. (The gif seems to glitch, but will upload later to vimeo)

Another animation was the plant animation I made also a year ago. It seemed to fit the theme and it fitted visually to create an installation. As much as it was about narrative, I wanted to create an experience. Instead of projecting as usually, I decided to make a vertical projection on one of the higher boxes.

Other projection was dedicated for newly baked pencil drawn animations, which were more flirty and detailed.

The forth animation was meant to be projected on a board leaning against the wall, and it seemed that both ‘Yellow water’ and ‘Hepatica’ fit together nicely

To be honest, everything just came together… There wasn’t too much changing, I was just following the flow and did what I thought will be good.

Later, the whole room was coming together:

I was very pleased how everything was coming together. The plant animation was the best projection I have ever done. It was hypnotizing!

The following day, I started cleaning up and editing the videos, so I would be able to project on the whole surface. I also brought all my drawings, so I could make a drawing installation. I wasn’t sure where exactly to do that and how, so started playing on one wall in the beginning.

It looked okay, but once I started discussing with everyone, I came to a conclusion to place all the drawings in a small office area, where we will be having an opening. The projection installation was looking good on its own and didn’t need anything else. It would have been too busy…

The same day, I had to run and have a quick lunch with my manager, so I asked my boyfriend to carry on a space; take the drawings down and clean up. He did a great job covering everything up, I only edited a gazillion time videos, worked on some distances and taped the wire.

And since the drawings were going to another space, the light wasn’t necessary, so I decided to shut if off.